📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Customer Account Manager
🔹 Company: Nestlé Operational Services Worldwide SA
🔹 Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
🔹 Job Type: On-site
🔹 Category: Sales
🔹 Date Posted: May 8, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 2-5 years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Serving as the primary contact for assigned customers and categories to drive growth and achieve sales targets.
- Developing customer-specific business plans and collaborating with various teams to implement strategies that enhance category performance.
- Utilizing strong forecasting skills and the ability to influence stakeholders to succeed in this role.
- Working in a dynamic and inclusive workplace that offers a competitive total rewards package.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a high level of customer interaction, strategic thinking, and the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams. It is ideal for candidates with a strong background in sales, category management, or a related field.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Serve as the primary contact for assigned customers and categories to drive growth and achieve sales targets.
✅ Develop customer-specific business plans and collaborate with various teams to implement strategies that enhance category performance.
✅ Utilize strong forecasting skills and the ability to influence stakeholders to succeed in this role.
✅ Continuously improve forecast accuracy and identify gaps between customer plans and customer feedback, proposing resolutions to gaps.
✅ Ensure achievement of agreed customer targets, including category growth, sales, real internal growth, customer service, and in-stock levels.
ASSUMPTION: The successful candidate will have a proven track record in customer management, category sales, or a related field, with a strong understanding of category growth strategies, forecasting, and stakeholder management.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field.
Experience: Minimum of three years of experience in customer management, category sales, or a related field.
Required Skills:
- Proficient in forecasting utilizing multiple data sources.
- Strong understanding of category management, sales fundamentals, and business driving technology solutions.
- Ability to influence people and craft compelling, fact-based sales presentations.
- Knowledge of sales fundamentals, pricing, promotion, assortment, and merchandising.
- Familiarity with customer standard methodologies, the marketplace, and significant channel and shopper trends.
- Proficiency in business processes, fundamentals, and core Nestlé Management and Leadership Principles.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with specific customer account management software or tools.
- Fluency in a second language, particularly Spanish.
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have a strong background in sales, category management, or a related field, with a proven track record of driving customer growth and enhancing category performance.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $130,000 - $150,000 base plus annual bonus.
Benefits:
- 401k with Company match
- Healthcare coverage
- Performance-based incentives
Working Hours: 40 hours per week
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Final compensation may vary based on factors including but not limited to background, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as geographic location of the position.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Food and Beverage Services
Company Size: 10,001+ employees
Founded: 1866
Company Description:
- As the world’s largest food and beverage company, Nestlé is driven by a simple aim: unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come.
- The company serves with passion and a spirit of excellence, offering products and services for all stages of life, every moment of the day, helping people care for themselves and their families.
- With a rich history dating back to 1866, Nestlé employs around 273,000 people and has factories or operations in almost every country in the world.
Company Specialties:
- Coffee and beverages
- Dairy
- Confectionary
- Culinary and frozen food
- Ice Cream
- Infant nutrition
- Healthcare nutrition
- Out of home F&B solutions
- Petcare
Company Website: http://www.nestle.com
ASSUMPTION: Nestlé's extensive portfolio covers almost every food and beverage category, offering products and services for all stages of life, every moment of the day, helping people care for themselves and their families.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Mid-level
Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Category Sales Development Manager.
Work Arrangement: On-site, full-time
Growth Opportunities:
- Progression to senior roles within the sales organization or other functions within Nestlé.
- Expansion of responsibilities and leadership opportunities as the business grows and evolves.
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant opportunities for career growth and development within Nestlé's extensive organization.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Corporate headquarters
Office Location(s): Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Geographic Context:
- Minneapolis is the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the 46th-most populous city proper in the United States.
- The city is known for its robust economy, driven by industries such as healthcare, finance, and retail.
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, with flexibility to meet customer needs
ASSUMPTION: The work environment is dynamic and fast-paced, with a strong focus on collaboration and teamwork.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Phone or video screening
- In-depth behavioral interviews
- Final round interviews with key stakeholders
Key Assessment Areas:
- Customer management skills
- Forecasting and analytical abilities
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving
- Communication and presentation skills
Application Tips:
- Highlight specific examples of customer management, category growth, and sales achievements in your resume.
- Tailor your cover letter to address the specific requirements and responsibilities of the role.
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on customer management, strategic thinking, and problem-solving.
ATS Keywords: Customer management, category growth, sales performance, forecasting, stakeholder management, business planning, customer service, category strategy, customer-specific business plans
ASSUMPTION: The application process for this role is competitive, and candidates should be prepared to demonstrate their skills and experience in detail.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Salesforce
- Power BI
- Circana
- Microsoft Office Suite
ASSUMPTION: Proficiency in these tools is not required, but candidates with experience in these or similar platforms may have an advantage.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Respect
- Excellence
- Courage
- Accountability
- Integrity
Work Style:
- Collaborative
- Dynamic
- Results-driven
- Inclusive
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How have you demonstrated respect for customers and stakeholders in previous roles?
- Can you provide an example of a time when you took initiative to drive category growth and enhance customer service?
- How do you approach working in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, and how do you prioritize your workload to meet customer needs?
ASSUMPTION: Nestlé values candidates who align with their core values and can thrive in a dynamic, collaborative work environment.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing a high volume of customer interactions and maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders.
- Adapting to a fast-paced and dynamic work environment, with shifting priorities and customer needs.
- Balancing the demands of customer management, category growth, and sales performance targets.
- Working effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders to implement customer-specific business plans.
ASSUMPTION: The successful candidate will be able to manage multiple priorities, adapt to change, and work effectively in a dynamic and collaborative environment.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- This role is similar to a Key Account Manager or National Account Manager, with a focus on customer-specific category business plans and driving category results.
- Unlike other sales roles, this position requires a strong understanding of category management, forecasting, and stakeholder management.
- Career progression in this role may lead to senior sales management positions or other leadership opportunities within Nestlé.
ASSUMPTION: The unique aspects of this role require candidates with specific skills and experience in customer management, category growth, and sales performance.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and implementing a customer-specific category business plan to drive category growth and enhance customer service.
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams to execute a new item launch and achieve initial field forecast targets.
- Analyzing customer data to identify trends and opportunities, and presenting findings to stakeholders to inform business decisions.
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the strategic and analytical aspects of the role, as well as the importance of collaboration and stakeholder management.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the most significant customer-specific category business plan you've developed and implemented, and what were the results?
- How do you approach working with cross-functional teams to execute customer-specific business plans, and what challenges have you faced in the past?
- Can you provide an example of a time when you had to adapt to a significant change in customer needs or market conditions, and how did you respond?
- How do you prioritize your workload to balance customer management, category growth, and sales performance targets?
ASSUMPTION: These questions are designed to assess the candidate's understanding of the role, their problem-solving skills, and their ability to work effectively in a dynamic and collaborative environment.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume to highlight specific examples of customer management, category growth, and sales achievements.
- Write a cover letter that addresses the specific requirements and responsibilities of the role.
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on customer management, strategic thinking, and problem-solving.
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to express your interest in the position.
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
